The Beginner’s Guide to Bears

by: Gillian Shields; Illustrated by Sebastien Braun

Published by: LB Kids

Reviewed by Jamie Driggers

From their earliest days, children love their teddy bears. In The Beginner’s Guide to Bears, words are put to page what the kids already know—their bears are awesome. Teddy bears are wonderful for so many things: companionship, dress-up, playtime, cuddling, comfort, picnics, and especially bedtime. Year around, teddy bears make great friends.

This hardcover book looks and feels wonderful. With a happy, squishy cover, kids can’t resist it and with a real mirror on the last page, they also have a hard time putting it down. The wonderfully illustrated bears get into all sorts of mischief, just like their little human friends (at least my little humans!).

I had a hard time following the rhythm of this book. I did find that when read slowly, it doesn’t bother me much, but the cadence changes from page to page. So rather than escalating as I work through the book, as rhyming books tend to do, I find myself slowing, slowing, slowing. Which, I suppose, makes it a great bedtime reader. If you aren’t a Seuss-esque rhyme snob like me, though, it probably won’t bother you a bit, especially at bedtime.

Armchair Interviews agrees.